Fingers trembling, she knew she had a fraction of a second before Aaron and Ishibashi would show surprise or fear on their faces—a fraction of a second to turn and aim and throw and kill the Revinir. The dragon-woman who had imprisoned her, who had nearly killed her and her friends multiple times. But who had also just revealed a little of herself for the first time. Thisbe’s heartstrings twanged against her will. She fought against her hesitation, but her body began to shake uncontrollably. The Revinir had to be taken out. There was no other option. This was the moment. Her moment.

With the pebble pinched between her fingers, Thisbe withdrew her hand from her jacket. She turned and took aim. Then she threw the pebble with her shaking hand at the Revinir, crying “Obligerate!”

Her eyes widened as she bungled the word, and she hastened to fix it. “Obliterate!”

Rohan gasped. Aaron cried out, “What are you doing?”

The pebble soared toward the Revinir, whose jaw opened in shock. Whose eyes showed her feeling of betrayal. The Revinir let out a cry as the pebble skimmed over her head, missing its target and hitting the ground just beyond her. It exploded on impact, sending sand and rocks flying and knocking the Revinir off her feet.

Thisbe had missed. The Revinir was not dead. Thisbe watched in absolute horror as everything she’d built up over the past weeks fell apart in an instant. She caught Aaron’s eye in a pure moment as they both realized what was happening. But when the Revinir rolled and got up, Thisbe grabbed Rohan’s wrist and yelled, “Everybody run!”

As Thisbe and Rohan ran for the edge of the forest, and Aaron fumbled for components, Ishibashi sent two throwing stars flying at the Revinir’s face, striking her. He timed a third to soar straight into her open mouth, coinciding with her angry roar. It embedded into the back of her throat.

The dragon-woman let out a scream and a thick spray of fire that swept over the ground like a giant fireball, building in size as it went. There was nowhere safe for the two men to go. Ishibashi shoved Aaron behind Quince for cover, then tried to dive out of the fireball’s way. But the old scientist wasn’t fast enough, and the ball of flames engulfed him. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

Aaron stumbled, then regained his footing as a thin wall of flames passed over him. Scorched, he turned and saw his mentor on the ground. He threw his body on top of Ishibashi’s to douse the flames and rolled him over. “Quince! Help us!” Aaron screamed.